The Cycling News Podcast

The latest episode of the Cyclingnews podcast looks back at the last few days in the Alps as we hear from Mikel Landa, Julian Alaphilippe, Richie Porte, and Adam Yates. The racing has seen Michal Kwiatkowski and Miguel Angel Lopez win stages, while the race for the yellow jersey is almost over, with Primoz Roglic looking almost unbreakable. We analyse the winners and losers from the Alps, and also compare the might of Jumbo Visma with the strongest editions of Team Sky and Ineos from the last few years. There’s also an in-depth discussion on how Sunweb have come away with a Tour stacked with highlights and discussions over Richie Porte’s Grand Tour career.   The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.    Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In the latest episode of the Cyclingnews podcast – brought to you in association with Sportful and Pinarello – we look back at the critical stage 15 of the Tour de France and hear from Egan Bernal and Bob Jungels. We look at where things went wrong for Ineos Grenadiers in this year’s Tour de France and where they go next. The top-ten on GC in the race has taken shape but Tadej Pogacar is breathing down Primoz Roglic’s neck as the race heads towards the final week and the Alps, and we play out where the race could be won and who else might challenge for a step on the podium. Jungels talks about the incident in which he crashed Sergio Higuita out of the race and we also hear from Geraint Thomas who finished on the podium in Tirreno-Adriatico. Finally, we ask, ‘when is the right time to ask questions relating to doping?’ This topic took centre stage on the rest-day when Michael Rasmussen accused a journalist of raising a stupid question in which Roglic was asked why his performances should be believed. The perfectly reasonable question may have caused a stir for some but we debate the delicate nature of asking tough questions and elaborate on why cyclists are asked about the topic in the first place.   The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.    Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In the latest edition of the Cyclingnews podcast, brought to you in association with Sportful and Pinarello, we hear from Tour de France revelation Marc Hirschi (Sunweb), Charly Wegelius from EF Education First and four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome from Tirreno-Adriatico. We also cover the breaking news from the Tour de France that saw ASO’s Christian Prudhomme forced to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19 and four team staff members from WorldTour squads sent home for the season reason after a huge effort to test everyone at the Tour on the first rest day. Daniel Benson and Ed Pickering analyse the opening 9 days of racing and dissect the top ten and how the next few days might play out. The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.    Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

It’s the end of stage 7 of the Tour de France and Wout van Aert has taken his second stage win of the race, and Jumbo-Visma’s third after a day dominated by crosswinds, chaos and GC changes.   Adam Yates retained his yellow jersey but that just scratches the surface on a day that was nail-biting and intense from the gun and saw the peloton split to pieces on several occasions through the efforts of Peter Sagan’s Bora-hansgrohe and then later due to pressure from Team Ineos. Several yellow jersey contenders were caught out in the echelons, while the likes of Miguel Angel Lopez, Nairo Quintana and Thibaut Pinot head into a weekend of stages in the Pyrenees within touching distance of the lead. The race is delicately poised. In this latest episode of the Cyclingnews podcast, we look back at a dramatic day, hear from both Van Aert and Yates and dissect the new GC standings ahead of the Pyrenees.   The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.    Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

  Roglic rises as cracks appear in rivals’ GC challenges – podcast It the end of stage of the 4 of the Tour de France and we have a feast of Tour content in our latest edition of the Cyclingnews podcast, as we hear from Egan Bernal, Sepp Kuss, and Tim Declercq. We’ll also discuss the latest transfer news after Michael Matthews broke his contract with Team Sunweb to join Mitchelton-Scott. Daniel Benson and Ed Pickering dissect the action from stage 4 after Primoz Roglic won ahead of Tadej Pogacar and Guillaume Martin with 16 riders finishing in the front group on the first summit finish of this year’s race. Overall leader Julian Alaphilippe took 5th and held onto his yellow jersey with Adam Yates at 4 seconds, and Roglic at 7 seconds.   We hear from Bernal on the battle for yellow, and Roglic’s star teammate, Kuss, who drove the pace of the leading group in the final few kilometers. We also discuss some of the time gaps for Emanuel Buchmann and Rirchard Carapaz, before turning out attention to Tim Declercq, who once more selflessly controlled the pace of the peloton for much of the stage.   Finally, we debate the pros and cons around Matthews’ surprise move to Mitchelton Scott.   Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In this week’s podcast episode we hear from Peter Sagan, Nicholas Roche, Tom Dumoulin and have an exclusive interview with George Bennett from Jumbo Visma. We debate the merits of the Team Ineos Tour de France squad and the possible implications having left both Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas at home on the sofa. We analyise the depth within Jumbo Visma and ask whether Ineos are rattled by the Dutch team’s recent performances. We hear from George Bennett on the strength at Jumbo Visma and how the Kiwi is adamant that he will improve ahead of the Tour de France.  Dumoulin and Roche talk to us about rider safety and the questions facing the CPA after a string of major crashes and incidents, while we also hear from Peter Sagan at the Criterium du Dauphine. The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.    Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

This week we’re discussing a number of races from Strade Bianche to Milano –Torino, and this weekend’s Milan-San Remo and Chris Froome and Egan Bernal’s latest adventures in France. We’ll hear from Froome, and from Danish rider Jakob Fuglsang but really there’s only one place to start and that’s with the horrific sprint finish on stage 1 the Tour de Pologne that saw Fabio Jakobsen taken to hospital and placed in an induced coma. The fall happened after Dylan Groenewegen altered his line and forced the QuickStep rider into the barriers. Jakobsen didn’t just go into the barriers he went through them. It was quite honestly one of the most shocking crashes in years. Several riders came down, a race official was left unconscious and Groenewegen was disqualified and fined. He may also face further punishment from the UCI. We analyze the incident, and talk to former sprinter Robbie McEwen about road safety and how the UCI and race oganisers must listen to riders if conditions are going to improve. We also look back at a thrilling edition of Strade Bianche and debate whether Wout van Aert is currently the most complete rider in the WorldTour. We head to France and try and narrow down Team Ineos’ Tour de France squad, hear from Chris Froome, and then pick our favourites for Saturday’s Milan-San Remo. The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here. 

After months of inaction and cycling fans surviving off online racing and re-runs of their favorite races, world-class racing is finally back on our screens.   The sport is taking baby steps towards normality but both the men’s and women’s peloton have taken part in a number of races with the Vuelta a Burgos currently underway in Spain, and with the men’s and women’s Strade Bianche scheduled for Saturday the WorldTour wheels are about to turn for the first time since March.   In this edition of the Cyclingnews podcast Daniel Benson and Procycling’s Ed Pickering speak to European editor Stephen Farrand, who is based in Italy and his set to report from Strade Bianche. We also catch up with women’s editor Kirsten Frattini about the women’s race and the news that Marianne Vos is on her way to the new women’s Jumbo Visma team. We drop in with Alasdair Fotheringham who watched Remco Evenepoel storm to the win on stage 3 of the Vuelta a Burgos, while there’s an interview with world champion Mads Pedersen thrown in for good measure.   This week’s episode – brought to you by Sportful and Pinarell – isn’t all Froome, as we also check in with Jumbo Visma’s Wout Van Aert, who is currently at a training camp ahead of the Tour. We talk to the Belgian about the Tour, cyclo-cross and, of course, Froome.   The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.    Sponsor message    Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.     BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.    Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.     Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.    For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

This week’s cycling news has been dominated by one story – the move of Chris Froome to Israel Start-Up Nation. The four-time Tour de France winner will end his long stint at Ineos this year before moving to pastures new for the first time since 2010 but there are plenty of vital questions that need to be answered before the year is out.  The most pertinent and most difficult is whether Dave Brailsford will select Froome for the Tour de France this year or whether Ineos will discard their longest serving leader for Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas. Cyclingnews’ Daniel Benson and Procycling’s Ed Pickering take on the biggest question ahead of the Tour while also sharing details on how the move came about.  We also look ahead to 2021 and whether the move to Israel Start-Up Nation will pay off and who the team needs to sign in order to help Froome in his quest to win a fifth Tour title.   This week’s episode – brought to you by Sportful and Pinarell – isn’t all Froome, as we also check in with Jumbo Visma’s Wout Van Aert, who is currently at a training camp ahead of the Tour. We talk to the Belgian about the Tour, cyclo-cross and, of course, Froome.   The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.    Sponsor message  Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.   BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.   Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In this week’s episode of the Cyclilngnews podcast, brought to you in association with Sportful and Pinarello, we rank the top-ten female riders from 1998 onwards. Our time frame takes into consideration the Women’s World Cup that ran from 1998 until 2015 and the  current Women’s WorldTour With expert opinions from our women’s editor Kirsten Frattini and Procycling’s Ed Pickering we start with an incredibly strong long-list before whittling down to two sets of top tens. The long list includes Marianne Voss, Leontien van Moorsel, Anna van der Breggen, Fabiana Luperini, Annemiek Van Vleuten, Petra Rossner, Nicole Cooke, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Ina Teutenberg to name but a few, and there are a number of surprise inclusions before settle on the best rider.  Here's our long-list, so feel free to join in and post your order in the comments below.  Annemiek Van Vleuten Pauline Ferrand-Prevot Fabiana Luperini Petra Rossner Marianne Vos  Mara Abbott  Emma Pooley  Judith Arndt Leontien van Moorsel  Anna van der Breggen Nicole Cooke   Ina Teutenburg   Kristin Armstrong   Giorgia Bronzini   Lizzie Deignan Chloe Dygert Kirsten Wild Amanda Spratt Oenone Wood   Anna Wilson/Millward Amber Neben   Chloe Dygert Kirsten Wild Amanda Spratt Hanka Kupfernagel Emma Johnansson Elisa Longo Borghini Trixi Worrack Evelyn Stevens Mirijam Melchers   In this week’s episode we also hear from George Bennett and discuss all the breaking  news from Ed’s chicken farm. The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.     Sponsor message   Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.    BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.    Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In this week's edition of the Cyclingnews Podcast, brought to you in association with Sportful and Pinarello, we look at another top-ten list and this time it’s the cobbled Classics riders from the men's WorldTour era.   Our list is comprised of some of the best cobbled specialists of all-time, let alone the last few years, and as well as discussing their palmarès, we analysed the lasting impressions each rider has made on the sport.   Starting with a long-list of 15, Daniel Benson (Cyclingnews) and Edward Pickering (Procycling) whittled their respective lists to ten riders before crowning their best riders.   The podcast also features exclusive interviews with former Paris-Roubaix winner Mat Hayman – he picks his best cobbled rider, too – and Matteo Trentin on CCC’s sponsorship and how he and Greg Van Avermaet will race together later in the year.   Here's our long-list, so feel free to join in and post your order in the comments below.   Peter Sagan Philippe Gilbert Tom Boonen Fabian Cancellara Greg Van Avermaet Zdenek Stybar Alessandro Ballan Juan Antonio Flecha Nick Nuyens Niki Terpstra Mat Hayman Alexander Kristoff Stijn Devolder Andreas Klier Johan Vansummeren   The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.     Sponsor message   Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972. Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.    BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.    Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In this week’s episode of the Cyclingnews podcast, we analyze the latest news surrounding Chris Froome and his contract situation. The four-time Tour de France winner has been linked with several teams with the notion of a mid-season transfer mentioned in several camps. We look at Froome’s options, where he should go and whether staying at Team Ineos is his best option.  As well as our Froome discussion Cn’s Daniel Benson and Procycling’s Edward Pickering rank their top-10 sprinters from the from  WorldTour era. From a shortlist of 16 to a reduced number of 12 (as you see below) and then to 10, our podcasters rank the fastest riders in the world with some surprising results.   Pascal Ackermann Mark Cavendish Marcel Kittel Arnaud Demare Nacer Bouhanni Andre Greipel Dylan Groenewegen Caleb Ewan Elia Viviani Sam Bennett Fernando Gaviria Peter Sagan   We’d love to The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello and. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.   Sponsor message  Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972.  Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.   BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.   Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.   Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.   For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

Are the greatest and the most successful the same or different? That’s the hot topic in this week’s edition of the Cyclingnews podcast as Ed Pickering and Patrick Fletcher go head-to-head and attempt to rank the greatest GC Grand Tour riders of the WorldTour era.  In no particular order we selected ten riders: Nairo Quintana, Tom Dumoulin, Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Bradley Wiggins, Vincenzo Nibali , Cadel Evans, Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal, Alejandro Valverde and analyzed their Grand Tour careers since the WorldTour began in 2019 and through four forms of criteria – numbers of wins, longevity, competition and legacy/reputation – Pickering and Fletcher arrived at two very different lists.    We discuss both list and some of the notable absentees from our original ten, and to break up the proceedings we have an interview with Simon Yates thrown in for good measure.   We’d love to know your top-tens, so please post them in the comments below. The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful and Pinarello and. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.   Sponsor message  Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972.  Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.    BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.   Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.   Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.   For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In the latest episode of the Cyclingnews podcast, brought to you by Sportful, Pinarello and Floyds of Leadville, we catch up with Sam Bennett on living in lockdown and how he envisages the year unfolding. We also chat with Nathan Haas with the Australian providing us with his selection of tunes to listen to while training indoors.   There’s time to also check with our women’s editor Kirsten Frattini on the latest developments in the women’s peloton – including the Bigla-Katusha story and how the team face closing. Hosts Ed Pickering and Daniel Benson also discuss the merits and the draw backs surrounding eRacing, while we talk all things Alaphillipe with the Frenchman set to be the cover star on next month’s edition of Procycling magazine. We share who the top ten riders are on CN according to 'clicks' and Ed takes us through the process of how Procycling determine the cover stars throughout the year.   The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful, Pinarello and Floyds of Leadville. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.   Sponsor message   Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972.   Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe. The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.    BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.    Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.    Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.    For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In this episode of the Cyclingnews Podcast Women’s Edition we sat down with Mitchelton-Scott rider Annemiek van Vleuten in the spring of 2019 ahead of what turned out to be one of the biggest years in her career.    It was a year that saw the Dutch all-rounder secure victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a second overall title at the Giro Rosa and then dominate the elite women’s road race with a history-making 105km solo attack that netted her the victory at the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire.   The 37-year-old Van Vleuten has been a professional since 2009 and has become one of the best riders and most recognisable names in the women’s peloton. She is also a two-time world champion in the time trial, two-time winner of Giro Rosa champion, and a double winner of La Course, and the current elite women's road race world champion.   Before we met up with Van Vleuten in the spring of 2019, we asked her to look back on her career and pick out five of her biggest moments and the ones that meant the most for her.    The conversation happened just days before she soloed to victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, but she had plenty of moments to pick from her decade-long career including the Tour of Flanders, Olympic Games, World Championships, Giro Rosa and La Course.   Enjoy our conversation with Annemiek van Vleuten.    The Cyclingnews Podcast is brought to you by Sportful, Pinarello and Floyds of Leadville. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.   Sponsor message   Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972 Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe.    The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

A bumper edition of the CN podcast It’s been a few weeks since our last episode but the Cyclingnews podcast is back with interviews with Tom Dumoulin and Matt White  We also discuss the likelihood of the  Tour de France taking place later this year and whether it’s too soon to get excited about race dates that have been scheduled for the second half of the year. European editor Stephen Farrand provides the latest lowdown from Italy and the Giro d’Italia’s plans, while we also look back at the formation of the Slipstream team. The American squad recently announced a round of cuts and layoffs but in the 2000s they burst onto the scene, and Ed Pickering from Procycling magazine was at their team launch in Boulder, Colorado 13 years ago. Pickering and CN’s Daniel Benson talk about the team’s first rosters and pose the question as to whether they’ve stayed true to their roots.   Tom Dumoulin, at home in Belgium, catches up with us over Skype and talks about lockdown, altitude camps and his thoughts on the new 2020 calendar, while Mitchelton Scott’s Matt White joins us from Spain to discuss how teams can start to plan for the coming months.   To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.  Our latest competition gives you the chance to win one of two musettes. We have one from Katusha Alpecin that’s stuffed with goodies and kit from last year, while we also have a similar prize for BMC Racing fans. Can you tell we’ve recently moved offices and need to clear some space?  All you have to do to win these fantastic prizes is head to our Itunes page, give us a review and post your top three kits for 2020 (men’s or women’s). We’ll announce the winners in the next couple of weeks.  This podcast was brought to you by Sportful, Pinarello and Floyds of Leadville.

Last week, when we recorded an episode entirely devoted to the covid-19 coronavirus crisis. The hope was that by now we’d be back to some semblance of normality and that racing would at least be back on the agenda. Seven days later though and that scenario is far bleaker than many of us could have imagined. Granted, as we recorded this episode Paris-Nice is somehow still on but around the world bike races are being pulled left right and centre. It looks as though the entire season is at risk. Coming up we’ll hear from our European Editor Stephen Farrand, who is based in Italy, one of the most heavily hit countries, and we talk to Italy’s Matteo Trentin from CCC team, who gives us riders’ perspective.  But we start this episode by talking to Rob Harris, AP’s global sports correspondent. In this interview, we step away from cycling and look at the wider problems that sport now facing. We ask who decides which sports go ahead, whether, as Lewis Hamilton recently said ‘cash is king’ and just how damaging the possible loss of marquee events such as the Olympics, European Championships and a host of other events could be for sport on a global stage.  Closer to home, Stephen Farrand has been with Cyclingnews for almost a decade. He is based in Italy and has covered the Giro since 1994. These are unprecedented times for Italian cycling and its society as a whole. We caught up with Stephen on Thursday afternoon, just after the conclusion of stage 5 at Paris-Nice. He gives his insight into how Italy is coping and where racing could go from here. For our final interview, we stick with an Italian theme. Matteo Trentin is the vice president of the Italian riders association and one of the most respected riders in the peloton. The CCC rider is currently in Spain for a short training camp but we spoke with him about his thoughts on racing and the coronavirus and what the riders and teams should be doing under the difficult circumstances.    To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.  Our latest competition gives you the chance to win one of two musettes. We have one from Katusha Alpecin that’s stuffed with goodies and kit from last year, while we also have a similar prize for BMC Racing fans. Can you tell we’ve recently moved offices and need to clear some space?  All you have to do to win these fantastic prizes is head to our Itunes page, give us a review and post your top three kits for 2020 (men’s or women’s). We’ll announce the winners in the next couple of weeks.  This podcast was brought to you by Sportful and Floyds of Leadville.   Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972 Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe.  The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

As you might expect this podcast solely focuses on the Coronavirus and its effect on professional cycling.  We’re going to hear from team bosses Jonathan Vaughters, and Matt White, as well as our European Editor Stephen Farrand, who lives in Italy, and Sophie Smith, who made it home from the UAE and is safely back in Australia.  But we start with Stephen Farrand and we discuss the impact of Covid-19 on the Italian race scene and how teams and the Italian public at large are struggling to cope. This was recorded just a few hours after RCS announced that Strade Bianche would not take place this weekend. Our interview with Jonathan Vaughters from EF Pro Cycling was conducted on Thursday evening but Paris-Nice was set to go ahead and EF were down to ride.  Vaughters talks about how teams are trying to understand the quickly evolving situation and the various playbook scenarios they are having to consider when it comes to race selection, rosters and riders’ health.  Matt White’s Mitchelton-Scott team was one of the first, if not the first, to announce that their men’s and women’s teams would be halting all racing with immediate effect. That as before Strade Bianche was canceled. In this interview White talks about the wellbeing of his riders, and the logistical stresses put on a team. He uses the example of the recent developments at the UAE Tour as an example.  Finally, we hear from Australian journalist Sophie Smith on the dramatic twists that took place at the UAE Tour last week. Some teams and riders are still stuck in the UAE and will be there until mid-March but the situation for around 72 hours was fraught and tense, to say the least. In this interview with Smith, we take you through how the situation unfolded.   To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.  Our latest competition gives you the chance to win one of two musettes. We have one from Katusha Alpecin that’s stuffed with goodies and kit from last year, while we also have a similar prize for BMC Racing fans. Can you tell we’ve recently moved offices and need to clear some space?  All you have to do to win these fantastic prizes is head to our Itunes page, give us a review and post your top three kits for 2020 (men’s or women’s). We’ll announce the winners in the next couple of weeks.  This podcast was brought to you by Sportful and Floyds of Leadville.   Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972 Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe.  The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

The UAE Tour continues and in the latest episode of the Cyclingnews podcast – brought to you in association with Sportful, Pinarello and Floyd’s of Leadville – we wrap up stages 3 and 4. We hear from Adam Yates on his stage win and race lead, and Caleb Ewan and Sam Bennett after both riders missed out on stage wins. Ewan crashed and found himself out of position on Wednesday, while Bennett jumped too early and altered his leadout train. We talk about both sprinters and just how competitive this race has been.  As in previous days we also drop in at Team Ineos to talk to Chris Froome. The four-time Tour de France winner is using the UAE Tour as his comeback race and in this latest catch-up we talk to him about his future beyond 2020 – he’s out of contract this year – and how he’s feeling after several days of competition.   Picking up from our previous discussion over the Australian emu wars of the 1930s – to remind you, the emus won – presenters Daniel Benson and Sophie Smith continue the theme by turning their attention to their limited dinosaurs facts after stage 4 started outside a dinosaur theme park in Dubai.  Spoiler: Their facts and knowledge on the subject really are limited.    To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.  Our latest competition gives you the chance to win one of two musettes. We have one from Katusha Alpecin that’s stuffed with goodies and kit from last year, while we also have a similar prize for BMC Racing fans. Can you tell we’ve recently moved offices and need to clear some space?  All you have to do to win these fantastic prizes is head to our Itunes page, give us a review and post your top three kits for 2020 (men’s or women’s). We’ll announce the winners in the next couple of weeks.  This podcast was brought to you by Sportful and Floyds of Leadville.   Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972 Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe.  The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful

In the second of our podcasts from the UAE Tour we hear from Chris Froome, Adam Yates, Sam Bennett, and yes, as the title suggests, we also discuss the Australian Emu War of the 1930s. Spoiler alert: the Emus won.  We start with a recap of the first two days of racing after Pascal Ackermann and Caleb Ewan  - the new leader of the race – shared the spoils. Joined once again by Australian writer Sophie Smith, we hear from Chris Froome. The British rider opens up about his rehab, learning to walk again and he reveals that he had a further surgery in December after internal stitches became infected.  We also talk to Adam Yates. The British climber took fourth at the white jersey at the 2016 Tour but has not hit those heights in a Grand Tour since. He tells us why it’s going to be different this time at the Tour and what he’s changed in terms of his schedule and plans.  Smith gives an insight into how stage 3 might play out and what level of popularity the Yates brothers share back in Australia. And then there’s the emus.   To subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast, click here.  Our latest competition gives you the chance to win one of two musettes. We have one from Katusha Alpecin that’s stuffed with goodies and kit from last year, while we also have a similar prize for BMC Racing fans. Can you tell we’ve recently moved offices and need to clear some space?  All you have to do to win these fantastic prizes is head to our Itunes page, give us a review and post your top three kits for 2020 (men’s or women’s). We’ll announce the winners in the next couple of weeks.  This podcast was brought to you by Sportful and Floyds of Leadville.   Sponsor message Born in the Italian Dolomites, Sportful has been making athletes faster, more efficient and better protected since 1972 Official apparel supplier to Bora-Hansgrohe.  The same Pro Issue apparel, which includes our BodyFit Pro and Fiandre lines, worn by Peter Sagan is available to purchase by all cyclists.  BodyFit Pro; a form fitting design with a focus on enhanced aerodynamics was created specifically for the rigors of pro bike racing.  Our versatile Fiandre line uses proprietary technology to keep you dry and comfortable in inclement, variable weather conditions.  Sportful leads the market with innovative and technical apparel so you can experience those unforgettable moments, your very best days on a bike.  For more details visit sportful.com Follow the ride on instagram @sportful